Apparatus for transferring bedsteads and occupants from place to place



M. VOLK.

' APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING BEDSTEADS AND OCCUPANTS FROM PLACE TOPLACE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14, 1919.

1,337,861 Patent ed Apr. 20, 1920.

Transferring Bedsteads UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAGNUS VOLK, OF BRIGHTON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING BEDSTEADS AND OCCUPANTS FRODI PLACE TO PLACE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

.Application filed July 14, 1919. Serial No. 310,729.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, MAGNUs VoLK, a subject of the King of Great Britain,residing at 38 Dyke road, Brighton, England, have invented a new anduseful Apparatus for and Occupants from Place to Place, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus primarily intended for use inhospitals, for enabling bedsteads with their occupants to be. readilytransported from one place to an other, as for instance, from a ward tothe open air, with a minimum of labor.

My improved transporting apparatus comprises a frame of dimensionssomewhat greater than those of the bedsteads to be lifted, the saidframe having hooks designed to be engaged with the bedstead and beingmounted upon wheels upon which the frame can be propelled, the saidwheels being carried on stub axles outside the frame.

My invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved apparatus indicating indotted lines a bedstead supported thereon.

V Fig. 2 is a plan, and

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same.

The frame comprises two side bars a, a formed of iron or steel tubing orthe like, and preferably trussed as shown in the drawing, and two endbars b, 6 The axles for the traveling wheels 0, c are secured to thetrusses of the side bars a, a and in order to afford lateral rigidity tothe said bars, they are advantageously connected by a detachablearched-stay d of sufiicient height to pass over the ends of the bedsteadas the carrier or transporter is moved into position. f, f and g, g arehooks suspended from the end bars I), b respectively of the frame, andwhich are designed to engage with the bedstead. These hooks may bepivotally supported upon the said bars 5, 6 but, in practice, I find itadvantageous to support the said hooks on springs in sockets 7, g whichform part of the said bars and to pivot the latter in sockets h, h inthe ends of the bars a, a as clearly shown in the draw- 1n Tn using myimproved transporter it is wheeled up to, say, the foot of the bedsteadin an inclined position and then pushed so that the hooks f, f on thebar I) will pass over the head of the bedstead, the other end of theframe is then lifted so that the hooks 7, f are lowered into a positionin which they can be engaged with the back bar of the bedstead frame:the end of the frame carrying the hooks g, g is then depressed, whichaction at the same time lifts the head of the bedstead, until the hooksg, 9 can be engaged with the bar at the foot of the bedstead; the frame,with the bedstead supported thereby is then suspended by the hooksinside the frame and can be moved with great facility. To facilitate thehandling of the transporter I advantageously place the wheels a slightlyout of the center of the length of the transporter frame so that one endof the said frame projects beyond the wheel axis to a greater extentthan the other end.

2', 2' indicate small rubber tired wheels which, when the transporter isnot in use, rest on the floor. j, j, Figs. 1 and 2, indicate socketswhich are sometimes applied to the said bars a, a of the transporterframe and which serve to carry the rod upon which one end of a stretchercan rest, the other end of the stretcher being supported by the hooks onthe end bar 5.

A great advantage of my improved construction is that there is nothrough axle to pass beneath the bedstead, so that the apparatus can beplaced in position much more readily than when such a through axle isemployed, and, furthermore, the sinking of the mattress owing to theweight of the person upon it, does not interfere with the free use ofthe carrier. As the carrier is mounted upon two wheels it is capable ofbeing manipulated in a limited space and in very cramped positions.

Claims.

1. A bed carrying truck comprising a frame including side bars connectedby end .bars wheels arran ed at o osite sides of the frame and mountedon stub axles extending from the frame, the space between the stub axlesbeing unobstructed below the axis of the wheels, and means carried bythe frame and adapted to detachably engage the end bars of a bed.

2. A truck of the kind defined by claim 1 having means adapted todetachably engage and support a bar which may be used in carrying astretcher.

3. A bed carrying truck comprising a frame provided at its ends withhooks adapted to detachably engage and support the end bars of a bed,stub axles fixed to the frame intermediate its ends, and wheels mountedon said axles, the space between the stub axles being unobstructed belowthe axis of the wheels.

4. A bed carrying truck comprising a frame including side bars connectedtogether by end bars and an inverted U-shaped member extending betweenthe side bars and connected to intermediate portions of the same, stubaxles connected to the ends of the U-shaped bar, wheels mounted on saidaxles,the space between the stub axles being unobstructed below the axisof the wheels, and means carried by the frame for detachably engagingand supporting a bed.

5. A truck of the kind defined by claim in which the last named meansincludes pivotally mounted hooks suspended from 0 the end bars of theframe.

6. A bed supporting and carrying truck comprising an open substantiallyrectangular frame of a size to surround a bed and including side barsconnected together at their ends by end bars, an invertedzU-shapedmember extending across the frame intermediate its ends, stub axlessecured to the lower ends of the U-shaped member, supporting wheelsmounted on said axles, the space between the stub axles beingunobstructed below the axis of the wheels and hooks pivotally connectedto the frame and adapted to-detachably engagevand support a bed, saidiU-shaped member extending to a height sufficient to permit the same topass over a bed when the wheels are moved along the sides of said bed.

7. A truck of the kind defined inclaim .6 in which the frame carriessockets adapted to receive a bar used in supporting a 40 stretcher.

MAGNUS VOLK.

